Sweeping machine



April 25, 1939. J, R. ROYER SWEEPING MACHINE Filed- June s, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 inventor Jesse. R. R0 yar; 6

torneg April 25, 1939. J R ROYER 2,156,065

SWEEPING MACHINE Filed June 5, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Imventor Jess6I2.fio z a7:

ttorneg April 25, 1939. J, R. R OYER SWEEPING MACHINE Filed June 3. 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Zhwentor Jassa .R .Jio

ttomeg Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in sweeping machines, and an object of my improvements is to provide coacting means for adjustably shifting longitudinally and securing releasably a 1;; brushing device mounted on such a machine.

Another object of my improvements is to provide means on such a machine for rotating the brush thereof in any of its adjusted positions.

Another object of my improvements is to supl1! ply in the machine a longitudinally adjustable sub-frame on the main frame, together with a manually controllable rotary brushing device supported for sidewise swinging adjustments on the sub-frame.

Another object of my improvements is to combine with a longitudinally adjustable sub-frame on the main frame a swingable rotary brush depending from the sub-frame with means for lifting and lowering the brush adjustably.

Another object of my improvements is rockably supporting the brush device upon the subframe for sidewise swinging of the device, and including releasable locking means for holding the former in adjusted positions upon the latter.

Another object of my improvements is to provide anti-friction bearing devices upon the subframe to travel along side ways of the main frame to permit easy longitudinal adjustments of the sub-frame therealong.

Another object of my improvements is to supply a pair of rotary brushes in the machine arranged for differential lifting and lowering movements relative to each' other in their respective working positions, with means for controlling 35 such movements thereof.

Various modifications in the details of construction and arrangement of parts of the machine may be made without departure from the principles and scope of this invention as defined 40 in the following claims.

In the appended drawings, Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show perspectives of my improved sweeping machine, taken respectively from different lateral points of view, and with respectively differently 45 adjusted positions of the rotary brushing devices. Fig. 4 is a top plan of the machine with parts removed or broken away. Fig. 5 is an enlarged end elevation of one of the trolley devices for carrying the sub-frame longitudinally on the 50 main frame, and Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section of a releasable fastening means for locking the supporting frames of the brushes in desired positions of horizontal rotary adjustments upon the sub-frame.

a This machine pertains to tho e app opriate f r highway sweeping, but may be employed other: wise as desired within the scope of permitted activities of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, in which a machine of this type and use is shown and which has 5- been successfully operated in actual reduction to practice, the numeral l denotes the main frame bars with fixed front and rear. connections, as shown in Fig. 4. The main frame is supported for transportation on rear wheels 2 and dirigible front wheels 3, and may be propelled by power means connected to a, hitch tongue 42, or by a motor upon the frame.

In a housing 3'! fixed on a swingable platform on the main frame may be mounted a prime motor 36, herein intended for use in rotating the sweeping brushes 30 and 3|,

The numeral 6 denotes a circular sub-frame positioned immediately under the main frame I. Fig. 5 shows one of a plurality of trolley devices 20 1 having spaced parts lb embracing loosely the lower flange Ia of the main frame I and having each a roller la riding upon said flange. The parts lb are secured fixedly upon the sub-frame, and thus the sub-frame 6 may be shifted longitudinally alongthe main frame I.

As shown in said Fig. 4, the circular sub-frame 6 may be shifted to and fro longitudinally along the side bars of the frame I, and this is effected by the use of a'hand-lever 26 having its rearend pivoted at 28 to a bracket 29, the lever being pivoted at 21 to the forward end of a link-bar 25 whose rear end is pivoted at 24 to said sub-frame. Catches lb and le are fixed on the end and one side of the main frame into which the lever 26 may be sprung in either position of the subframe as adjusted longitudinaly along the main frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 6, the numerals 30 and 3| denote like rotatable brushes or sweeper-brooms having each a shaft with projecting end pintles seated rotatable in bearing brackets on a pair of arms I3 swingably mounted in front on a cross shaft I 9, as shown in Fig. 1, carrying a sprocket-wheel 33. This wheel carries an end of a sprocket-chain 34, whose upper end is carried around a sprocket on the shaft of a motor 36 in the housing 31. An arched frame construction l8 has its depending ends apertured to receive the ends of the rotary shaft IS. The outer ends of the broom shafts have sprockets 20 carrying sprocket-chains 2| mounted in the rear upon sprockets l9a; on the shaft l9. By the said means the brushes 30 and 3| are both rotated. f ihese brushes may have dirt deflectors 38 and 39 respectively over the brushes 30 and 3!, mounted on the parts l6 which carry the arms l3.

Means areprovidedformanuallylifting and lowering the brushes 3!) and 3! tiltably, with the elements l5 and I6, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. These are best shown in Fig. 3, which show a rock-arm l4 pivotally connected at its ends at 23 to the middles of the bars l5 and I6, it being understood that the bars l5 and I6 have arms such as I 50. terminally apertured to receive the inner ends of the brush shafts. An arm 400 has its lower end pivoted'to the middle of the rock-bar l4, and, as shown in Fig. 2, the upper part of the arm 400 has a plurality of pin-holes 40b therealong for receiving a pivot-pin in a crank end14fla of. a hand-lever 40 operable manually for lifting or lowering both brushes 30 and 3| simultaneously.

A coiled tension spring I l is connected-between the middle of the rock-bar I4 and as shown in Fig. 4 to a side element of the main frame I, permitting, thebrushes 30 and 3| to be-suspended resiliently to clear obstructions in the way. It will be observed that as the brushes are resiliently supported either brush may ride upwardly over projections, or. upon a marginal portion of a highway, while the other brush as indicated in Fig. 3, may subside below the other, as in sweeping a shoulder alongside paving.

As shown in Fig. 1, spaced arms l2 are at their outer lower ends seated on the ends of the shaft by connections to the arch-bars l8, and project upwardly and inwardly with offset inwardly grooved terminals 8a which ride loosely upon the outer; flange 6b of the ring or sub-frame 6. In Fig. 6 is shown a releasable locking device for securing one of the arms l2 to the sub-frame 6. The sub-frame has a plurality of holes, spaced apart at selected positions, in its web at 60. In one of the widened heads 8a of said arms I2 is a pin-hole arranged to be placed opposite either of the pin -holes 6c asthe brushes-are swung around, and to'seat a handled pin 9 loosely longitudinally in'a hole Be as selected, and the pin 9 is connected to the arm I! by a tension spring 90.. When the pin 9 is seated in a hole 60, it is retained therein by the spring 9w as against accidental displacements. The brushes 30 and 3| may be by the above means swung around to desired sweeping angles relative to the main frame I. It will also be noted, that the deflectors 39 aid in delivering to one side dust or particles of mire thrown up by the brushes, particularly when the brushes are placed obliquely relative to said main frame I.

I claim:

1. In a sweeping machine, in combination, a main frame, said main frame having rigidly connected channel bar side beams with outwardly directed flanges, a ring below said beams having mountedthereon trolley wheels ridable along the lower flanges of the beams, means for shifting said ring to and fro along said beams, comprising a hand-lever having an end pivoted'to one side frame beam, a rigid bar link pivotally connected at opposite ends to said ring and to a medial part of the hand-lever respectively, socket members at the end of said frame and on one side beam respectively to receive the hand-lever in either when removably sprung thereinto to secure the ring in either of longitudinally adjusted positions on the main frame, a sub-frame comprising rigid hangers having upper terminations rockably mounted on the ring, releasable locking means for securing the hangers as adjusted on the ring, a pair of alined rotary brushes supported pivotally independently on the hangers, adjusting means movably mounted on the main frame and'pivot- 1 ally to the lower ends of the hangers including bearing members for the shafts of the brushes for differentially supporting the brushes, a motor on the main frame, and driving connections between the motor and the respective brushes for rotating the brushes independently.

2. In a sweeping machine, in combination, a main frame, said main frame having rigidly connected channel bar side beams with outwardly directed flanges, a ring below said beams having mounted thereon trolley wheels ridable along the lower flanges of the beams, a sub-frame comprising rigid hangers having their upper terminations rockably mounted on the ring, releasable locking means for securing the hangers as adjusted on the ring, a pair of alined rotary brushes supported pivotally independently on the hangers, adjusting means movably mounted on the main frame and pivotally to the lower ends of' the hangers including bearing members 'for the shafts 

